The 14th Session of Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing is taking place at the UN Headquarters in New York on May 20 to 22 and 24. It was established in 2010 with the purpose of promoting and protecting the rights and dignity of older persons.
According to The United Nations Population Division report, the population aged older than 60 years will increase to more than two billion in 2050, representing 22% of the world population. In Europe, people increasingly live healthier and therefore longer. In 2023, the population in the European Union was estimated at 448.8 million people and more than one-fifth (21.3 %) of it was aged 65 years and over.
In Greece in particular, the impact of population ageing has become progressively clear. Like many other nations, Greece has been reviewing its policies on the protection of the elderly, since the growing numbers suggest that the quality of their rights might be endangered.
Addressing the 16th Session’s works, the Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations presented the latest national policies for the social inclusion of older people, as well as their participation in decision-making processes.